A prior device is known, e.g. from EP 0440 039 B1. The stuffing machine described in said reference presses sausage meat through a charging pipe into a tubular sausage skin. By means of a twist-off mechanism, individual sausage portions are formed between which twist-off or separation points are located. The sausage strand formed in this way is advanced by two endless belts of a so-called dimensioning unit. In the course of this advance movement, the sausage strand passes a separation device which separates the individual sausages from one another at the twist-off points. In said device, rotating separation elements are provided for this purpose on either side of the sausage strand, said separation elements circulating on circular paths and including blades and corresponding countersupports, respectively, at the outer end thereof. The separation elements are supported such that the blades and countersupports co-operate at one point of their circular movement in such a way that the sausage strand is cut through at a twist-off point. The conveying speed of the sausage strand and the circulation speed of the separation elements are synchronized and adapted to the product.
In many cases, the sausages are, however, only separated by a very short twist-off point or they are even in full contact with one another. Especially when e.g. sausages in natural sausage casings are dealt with, it is not always possible to keep the twist-off points stretched. In these cases, the problem arises that the knives or countersupports would injure the stuffed sausages when they are brought into engagement with one another. It follows that the known device is not suitable for processing sausages in natural sausage casings.